Prosper Health has raised $16.2 million for its virtual mental health platform focused on caring for neurodivergent populations.
The Weston, Florida-based provider specializes in providing services exclusively to “autistic and neurodivergent adults,” according to its website. Founded in 2023, Prosper Health is targeting an underserved but rapidly growing population that may not be well served by traditional autism therapy or outpatient mental health providers.
It’s not clear who participated in the round. It’s also not clear what specific initiative the funding will enable. Requests for comment sent to the company and key leaders have not been returned.
However, the document the company filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission names Benjamin Schecter and Lexi Henkel as directors of the company. It also states that Schecter is one of the company’s executives. Schecter’s LinkedIn profile lists one of his roles as founder of Prosper Health. Brett Katz, formerly of virtual IOP provider Charlie Health, also lists his role on LinkedIn as a founder.
The funding round only included a sale of the company’s equity and included 32 investors, according to the disclosure.
Prosper Health also provides diagnostic testing for autism on top of therapy services. The startup provides services on an in-network basis. The company has contracts with Aetna, UnitedHealthcare, The Cigna Group (NYSE: CI), Oscar Health and Oxford in the state of Texas, Florida, New York, Illinois, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Virginia, and Tennessee, according to its website It also has contracts with Blue Cross Blue Shield entities in Texas, North Carolina, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts, Virginia, Tennessee, and Florida. The cash price for therapy is $125 per session, and an assessment costs $950, according to the company’s website.
Autistic adults often struggle to access behavioral health services, let alone behavioral health services that are covered by a health plan. Most of the autism therapy industry and the public school and health systems focus on providing care to pediatric patients, largely through applied behavior analysis and other therapies. On the outpatient mental health side, it’s not clear how many therapists are experienced with or trained to support those with autism diagnoses. One study found that most (70%) therapists self-report not knowing enough about autism and would refer a patient with autism to another provider. Autism is the condition assessed by the study that therapists have the lowest levels of confidence in assessing and treating.
From a patient perspective, many services and supports for autism therapy end at the age of 21, leaving a dearth of funding for adult-specific services. Thus, there are few services available. This exists despite a rapid rise in the number of diagnoses in children by providers — which increased by 312% from 2000 to 2020 — and a surge in personal identification and self-diagnosis by adults, particularly after the mainstreaming of mental health discourse in social media. One study using Medicaid claims data found the rate of autism diagnosis among adults had doubled from 2011 to 2019.
With most traditional behavioral health providers conceptualized more around region or diagnosis, it can be challenging for specific groups to find care reflective of their unique needs and experiences, as well as hiring providers with common experiences or backgrounds. Several telehealth companies have cropped up over the years to cater to the specific needs of an increasing number of specific demographic groups.